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Atlanta Friends Minute on Racist Violence

Published: April 2, 2021

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Dear Friends: The Domestic Terrorist Attack January 6, 2021, attempted to violently stop verification of Presidential Electoral College votes and presents an existential threat to rule of law in America. Radically motivated attempts to deconstruct democratic government through threats and acts of violence makes daily life for peace loving people intolerable.

Led to seek reduction of violence in our world and our everyday lives the Atlanta Friends Meeting (Quakers) have approved a Minute on Hatred, Racist Violence and Domestic Terrorism on February 21, 2021, developed by our Social Concerns Committee. I have included that Minute below, for you to review and help as you feel led with actions to address and reduce domestic terrorist violence and racism to develop a more beloved community.

Your support will be greatly appreciated in this season of great social stress.

Respectfully, Glenn Plyler, Clerk Social Concerns Committee, Atlanta Friends Meeting, 4/2/2021

 

Hatred, Racist Violence, and Domestic Terrorism Minute
as approved by Atlanta Friends Meeting (Quakers)
on 2/21/2021 (Minute 2/21/2021-01)


In light of the attempted violent overthrow of the US government on January 6, 2021, the Atlanta Friends Meeting (Quakers) calls for everyone to act to reduce fear, violence, and injustice in our community and in the wider world. As we seek peace and reconciliation, we must acknowledge our nation’s past and present use of white supremacist beliefs to justify genocide, slavery, and violence against Indigenous, Black, and People of Color.

Looking to our democratic ideals, let us increase our work for justice and freedom for all.

As people of peace, we seek that of God in everyone and recognize that the hatefulness of greed, dehumanization of others, and fear are the roots of violence. We decry the white supremacist beliefs and actions of the insurgents at the Capitol, those in power who spurred them on, and the systemic racism throughout our nation that causes oppression and injustice. Evidence of this structural racism is the extreme police presence used against Black Lives Matter protesters compared to the lack of police presence at the Capitol on January 6. 2021. Credible reports of the planned insurrection by radicalized white insurrectionists seeking to execute members of Congress and the Vice President were ignored by security officials responsible for the safety of Congress.

We call on our nation and ourselves to admit our roles in systemic racism and violence, thereby contributing to the spiritual and social conditions of our country. We will work to make significant changes. The answer is not more violence. We must establish a welcoming and equitable beloved community with restorative justice for all.

We call for the following actions:

  1. Hold the perpetrators of the insurrection accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
  2. Use the lawful and nonviolent means available to remove from office those elected officials and others in government who planned or instigated the uprising with hateful and untrue rhetoric.
  3. Insist that the media offer fact checks and hold accountable the purveyors of lies.
  4. Promote the teaching of democratic ideals and practices in educational and community organizations nationwide.
  5. Work to dismantle all federal and state laws that limit access to the vote, including statutes that disenfranchise Black, Indigenous, People of Color, non-binary and trans citizens, low-income citizens, the homeless and the formerly incarcerated.
  6. Develop federal and state level systems of reparations for Indigenous Peoples whose land was stolen, and those of the Black community who were the unpaid source of colonial capitalist wealth accumulation.
  7. Establish systems of restorative justice to address inherent systems of racial inequity in the current justice systems.

We need Divine Assistance to succeed in making these changes in our nation and ourselves. We invite everyone to join us in seeking Divine Guidance as we work together to build a truly humane, loving, and just country for all.